Alone
by HP-Forever-XX
Summary: Entry for The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition Forum, Round 7 (written on behalf of Chaser 3) - Regulus Black is all that Severus Snape has, but Severus Snape is not the only one who has Regulus Black...


**Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition - Round 7**

**Team: **Wigtown Wanderers  
**Position: **Chaser 3  
**Pairing: **Regulus Black/Severus Snape  
**Additional Prompts: **_Counting Backwards, _Dialogue: _"What are you smiling about?" _and _Clouds_

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_**Author's Note: **I have written this on behalf of Chaser 3 as our team had no reply from them, and was unable to contact a reserve. I was supposed to use Alice Longbottom to break up the couple, though as Alice's maiden name is unknown (she obviously wasn't married at Hogwarts, and therefore her name wouldn't have been Longbottom), she is merely referred to as 'Alice.' Also, I apologise if I've done anything wrong. I usually write as Beater 1, so I'm not sure if there are any different rules of anything... Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy it :)_

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**Alone**

Severus Snape was deep in thought. He was laid on his back in a secluded spot by the Black Lake, feeling the gentle tickle of the soft grass as he ran his hands through it absentmindedly. There was a cool and refreshing breeze gliding over him, rustling his long, and un-washed, dark hair. The sky was as blue as he'd ever seen it before, and he counted the clouds that hung lazily above him. It was a perfect summer day, and though he was feeling refreshed, he was not feeling content.

His eyelids fluttered closed. The sun was warm on his face, and he breathed in deeply. Starting at ten, Severus began to slowly count down. He'd only gotten to 6, when he felt the warmth leave his face as he was cast into darkness. Opening his eyes to glare at whomever it was who was suddenly blocking the sunlight, his grimace broke into a smile of relief. It was Regulus Black.

"What are you doing?" Regulus asked, with a bemused smile.

Severus sat up immediately and shrugged in response. "It helps me keep calm," he explained, bashfully. Despite Regulus being a year younger than him, he still felt intimidated. The younger boy was far more confident than him, and far more handsome. Severus considered him to be better in every way.

"And what is it that's stressing you out?" Regulus asked politely, taking a seat on the grass next to him.

Severus plucked some strands of grass from the ground and clutched them tightly, before releasing them into the wind. He watched as they were whisked out of sight, completely lost in thought. Regulus waited patiently. Eventually Severus shrugged again. "Just exams I guess..."

Regulus watched him with sympathy. "Your OWLs are nearly over, Sev, and you'll do great – you're top in almost all your classes!"

"Not all of them," he replied bitterly, cradling his knees close to his chest in a defensive and sulky manner. Regulus was even more _mature_ than him, he realised.

"Stop doing this to yourself," the younger boy commanded angrily. "There's nobody better than you at potions!"

Severus involuntarily tensed. Lily Evans was top of their potions class, but he couldn't possibly speak her name, least of all to Regulus. "I wasn't talking about potions," he informed him, tugging at the grass again so as to distract himself.

"Then what is it?" Regulus demanded, suddenly vicious. It was Severus' attitude that bothered him. It was the fact that this intelligent, amazing boy, couldn't see how truly brilliant he was. If only he could make Severus see himself through Regulus' eyes. He felt so helpless.

"Well there's transfiguration, and defence against the dark arts and –"

"Defence against the dark arts is a load of rubbish anyway!" Regulus interrupted. "All those things you said about joining the Dark Lord after Hogwarts, didn't you mean any of that?" he inquired, suddenly hurt.

Severus dropped the grass in his hand and turned to look Regulus in the eye. "No," he said sincerely, "I meant every word of it, I swear!"

Regulus raised his eyebrows. "Then why on Earth would you care about being good at _defending _dark magic, when in a few years time we're going to be _living _it?"

Severus couldn't help but smile. "Well yes, I suppose you're right," he admitted.

Regulus sat up straight, grinning proudly. "It's been known to happen on several occasions," he said smugly.

Severus let out a small laugh, before dropping his gaze to his feet and hugging his knees tightly again.

"As for transfiguration," Regulus went on, "tell me just who's better than you?"

Severus pursed his lips. He couldn't tell him. It was always a painful topic. "It doesn't matter," he said quickly, but Regulus' eyes were wide as he caught on.

"It's Potter isn't it?" he asked indignantly.

Severus nodded meekly.

"Let me guess – my delightful elder brother too?" Regulus' handsome face had morphed into one of hatred and disgust. Not that Severus could ever tell him, but it wasn't very flattering. When he made no comment and continued to stare miserably down at his shoes, Regulus was filled with rage.

"There's more!" he cried, reading his actions. "They're still bullying you, aren't they? Aren't they!?" he demanded a second time.

"They don't _bully _me," Severus muttered irritably. It made him sound so pathetic. And he hated that it felt like Regulus was telling him off, as though it were somehow his fault that the so-called Marauders always picked on him.

"You've got to start standing up to them," Regulus yelled. "Fight back!"

"You don't think I've tried?" Severus asked furiously, glaring at Regulus. "It doesn't work! They're persistent and much quicker. Not to mention that there's four of them, and only one of me."

"Let me help you then," Regulus pleaded. "I'm sure Lupin doesn't get involved, and Pettigrew hardly seems like much of a fight. So it's pretty much going to be two-on-two and you've no idea how greatly I'd delight in cursing Sirius – then Potter's all yours!"

"No," Snape replied defiantly. "That can't happen."

"Why?" Regulus demanded, narrowing his eyes. "Don't you think I'm good enough to fight for you? Because let me tell you, though I may be a year younger, I'm twice the wizard that Sirius will ever be, I can assure you of that!"

Severus sighed. "No, you don't understand. It's not that I don't want you to help me, it's just that you can't, ok?"

"Why not?"

"Because think how it would look," he explained calmly. "If people see you helping me out then they'll... _assume_ things." His pale, sallow cheeks were suddenly flushed with colour. It was embarrassing to talk about it so openly.

"You mean they'll assume the truth?" Regulus asked sarcastically. Severus didn't reply. "You don't want me to stand up to the people who are bullying you because you're scared that they'll find out about us?"

"I'm not scared," Severus retaliated. "I just think it will give them even more of an excuse to attack me and mock me, especially considering that Sirius is your brother – he's going to take great delight in it all."

"I don't care about what Sirius thinks – I don't care what anybody thinks. Why do you care about it all so much? Two months we've been dating, Severus. Two months! You don't think people are starting to speculate already?"

"They – they are?" Severus asked quickly, his eyes wide with panic. "Who? Who's speculating?" His heart was racing. How could people possibly suspect that he and Regulus were a couple? Severus didn't have any friends. If somebody knew then they'd be sure to tell the whole school and that would completely destroy his reputation. Not that his reputation was particularly worth much at the moment. If Potter and Black were already tormenting him, when they learnt of his secret relationship with Sirius' brother, they were going to make his life an absolute living hell!

"You're ashamed of me," Regulus stated, ignoring his question. "Don't lie to me Severus Snape – you're ashamed of me, and you're ashamed of what we have."

"Don't be ridiculous," Severus spat. "I'm not ashamed of us," he assured him, though every word was a lie. Severus didn't care for Regulus nearly as much as he did for him. But Severus was lacking in friends, and Regulus had been the only one to be interested in him. If he lost Regulus then he would have nobody. He would be completely alone. It was only through Regulus that he'd begun to meet several other Slytherins. Their common interest being the dark arts. But if he lost Regulus then they'd never look at him twice again.

"If it's not shame then what is it?" he pressed.

"What's _what_?" Severus asked impatiently.

"Don't play dumb with me. This relationship is breaking down because of you, and if it isn't because you're ashamed of me, then it must be something else. So what is it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Is it Lily Evans then?" Regulus taunted. Severus winced. "Do you still have that pathetic crush on her?"

"No," he denied hurriedly, avoiding his gaze.

"I think you're lying," Regulus provoked him in a menacing manner. "Haven't you forgotten that she hates you now? Haven't you realised that she's nothing more than a pathetic little mudblood?"

"Stop," Severus growled, longing for nothing more than to pull out his wand and hex Regulus till he bled. The younger boy only looked satisfied with his response.

"You need to stop denying things from me, Severus," he said darkly, "or maybe you need to stop denying things from yourself. Perhaps you just need to learn how to grow up and stop acting so spineless." His tone was as cold as his heartless behaviour.

And then he burst into laughter. It was a cruel, merciless laugh, which completely threw off Severus. He didn't know how to act about this sudden, unexpected action. After sitting there uncomfortably whilst Regulus continued to roar with laughter, eventually he sighed heavily and settled into a deep grin, his eyes shining with some unknown amusement.

"What are you smiling about?" Severus demanded, beginning to wonder if the whole argument had been a joke.

"I'm just thinking about how incredibly stupid and pathetic you are."

Severus choked on his breath as tears threatened in his eyes. It was one thing when the marauders hurled abuse at him, but with Regulus it was like a knife had been plunged into his stomach. "When I walk away from you, you'll have absolutely nobody left. Not a single person. Nobody to love... nobody to love you in return..."

"And what makes you think that you'll walk away as anything other than a mere reflection of me?" Severus questioned furiously.

But Regulus was still smiling broadly. It was unnerving. "Why would I?"

"Because you'll be ruined," Severus told him sullenly. "Don't think for a second that I won't tell anybody about us. I've got nothing to lose after all, but you – you've got everything to lose. Your reputation will be destroyed and all your friends will leave you too." Severus felt proud of how manipulative and controlling he was. Regulus was completely at his mercy. But why was he still smiling?

"Interesting idea," he mused. "Though very flawed, because here's the thing – nobody will ever believe you."

"And why not?" Severus demanded.

"Well firstly, I'll deny it. And nobody's going to believe _you_, over _me_. And secondly – Alice," he said simply.

"Alice?" Severus asked, thoroughly confused.

"Alice in my Herbology class," he explained.

"Alice from Gryffindor? But what's she got to do with anything?"

"Well, I've been seeing her for the past five weeks."

Severus let the words sink in. "But – but we've been dating for the past two months!" he protested.

Regulus looked exceedingly amused. "I wasn't going to let people speculate about you and I, so I used Alice as a backup plan so others wouldn't get too suspicious. Though it turns out she's far more interesting than I'd previously thought."

"But why didn't you tell me that you were pretending to date her?"

"Because after a while, I stopped pretending..."

Severus didn't know why he felt so hurt. After all, he'd never felt that interested in Regulus Black – he was merely a way for him to get over Lily. Not that _that_ was ever likely to happen. "Then why didn't you end things with me?" he whispered quietly.

"Because I felt bad for you," Regulus admitted. "I certainly considered it. Alice is far more into me than you ever seemed to be and I was getting bored of all your constant whining. But you were so alone, and despite everything, I didn't want to abandon you."

"Well forget about it," he spat. "I don't need you anyway."

"Don't try and act like _you're_ the one who's ending things. If it weren't for Alice then you'd still be clinging to me like the pathetic mess that you are. But if it's all settled then I guess it is over."

Regulus stood up confidently, and brushed the grass from his robes. "I'd still forgive you, Sev," he told him seriously. Severus ignored him, resorting to ripping the grass out from the ground again. "There's no reason why you and Alice shouldn't share me."

"I've no interest in sharing you," Severus replied stiffly. "It's belittling that you would do such a thing to me. It's either me or her – no in-between."

Regulus seemed to consider it for the briefest of moments, before turning and walking away from the greasy-haired boy in silence. Just before he was out of ear-shot, he turned back to yell at him, with a wicked grin plastered on his face."Alice is twice the girlfriend you'll ever be, _Snivellus_."

Severus raked his hands through the dirt in fury. Regulus had not meant much to him, but he had been all he had since he'd lost Lily. And she too, had referred to him as Snivellus in her final words to him. She'd never referred to him as a girl before though.

There was no sorrow to be found within the boy. Only anger and hatred, and a burning pain that he couldn't erase; Intense loathing for the marauders, Regulus, and now _Alice. _Feeling defeated, Severus slumped down onto the ground to stare up to the sky. The clouds that had been so white and pristine only moments ago, were now dark and ominously looming over him. As the first few raindrops fell from the sky and spattered his pale face, that's when Severus began his backwards counting.


End file.
